Ask HN: Twitter-like dating site. LAMP. As an idea? Scale?
talkaboutadate.com+1 for a new approach to online dating... no one else has got online dating to work for heterosexual dating. Remember that you need to target women. There are a lot more men using online dating than women. [1] Online dating right now works incredibly well for homosexual "dating", particularly casual sex for men who like men, but Craigslist has the network effect already.
Honestly I'm really curious why no one has cracked it on facebook yet. There is a lot of potential there.
Doing a dating app on Facebook would be difficult for two reasons.
First, the privacy controls. If I am already Facebook friends with someone I fancy, we would just correpond via the messaging system - no app required. For an app to introduce me to a potential date whom I am not already friends with, we would both have to agree to let the other see our profiles. This agreement would be based on the Facebook mini profile - a photo and location. This sounds like speed dating without the speed date bit.
Second, segmentation of one's life. Facebook profiles are not anonymous blogs about one's sex life, or conversations with friends about a Saturday night party - they are public faces. Even in the real world, dating is done in private: alone, with few facts shared until the relationship is official. People are not going to want to muddy their public Facebook face with their dating life.
That's why I suggested a simple app first. Say, something that puts you on a list of 'looking for a date' - which other people can look at. Anyway, I'm not taking the Facebook route - too many problems, two of which you've pointed out.
Yes. Lot's of potential in Facebook. Could start with a simple dating app and work up from there.
I'm down with taking the twitter idea and applying it to different areas of interest, but blatant copying of their site design/layout is kinda lame, imo.
Right now I'm a little more concerned with scaling the app. The site just launched - I'm sure it's going to change over time.
Little bit a Twitter but idea is nice :) I'm also separated and 35, but I don't think you can start a startup only in 21 :) Keep running.
You are never too old to start a startup!
There is only ever the present moment. Time does not exist. :)
For many people here it's alfa and omega :)) ask PG.